Reasons Why Miami Got Smoked In The ACC Championship Game

Miami's Malik Rosier (12) is sacked by Clemson's Albert Huggins (67) during the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

Two years after being beat six-feet into the ground by Clemson, in what was the worst lost in school history, eventually burying the hatchet of Al Golden and bringing in the new, smart and fun Mark Richt as Miami’s Head Coach. Clemson decided to end Miami ‘s run as possible top dog of the ACC in Saturday’s Championship Game, in the same fashion of two years prior.

Here are a few reasons why.

The first 15 are deepest.
Clemson came out firing. Kelly Bryant was perfect throwing 15-15, leading Clemson to two touchdowns in the first quarter (one on a Bryant 11-yard run). Though that is not the first 15 I was referencing. Every football advocate knows the first 15 plays of the game are the most important to set the tone. Clemson proved that, the first 17 plays resulting in two touchdowns on 68-yard and -71 yard drives in only a combined 7:31 time of possession.
Miami? It took them four drives to hit that 15 play mark, those drives resulted in three punts and missed field goal.

Mark Richt is predictable.Don’t get me wrong I was all for the signing of Head Coach Mark Richt, but we all knew what we were in for with him. I knew he was going to have passion for our beloved football team. I also knew that he was successful with Georgia, but that was only for games that didn’t matter.
In his fifteen year tenure with the Bulldogs he eventually fired, excuse me, dismissed from the program because everyone was tired of the mediocrity within the program. Being mediocre or even bad is a lot easier in NCAAF than the NFL, two to three losses in the NFL are really good, college ball? You better improve, and it better be quick.
I believe Richt has a great future with Miami but he needs to shake up his predictability and be a little more dynamic.

The Turnover Chain was on the wrong sideline.Miami got lucky with a muffed punt going our way in the beginning of the game. After that?
Two interceptions and two fumbles(1 lost).
WHAT HAPPENED?!?!
Simple, the defense were outplayed in the first quarter, but the offense didn’t help as I explained before with what their first 4 drives were. Not scoring or even staying out there long enough for your defense to rest is big deal.
Defense did play well eventually, but it was too late.

Clemson played faster.Simply put Clemson looked as good and fierce as Miami did during warm-ups.
Miami on field looked sluggish. Clemson played like there were firecrackers lit on their you know what.

The “U” is not back.Yet.
Miami will never be the team they were in the late 80’s early 90’s and the early 2000’s team.
We wont have Vinny Testaverde, Melvin Bratton, Alonzo Highsmith, Michael Irving, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Brett Romberg or Jeremy Shockey.
That is okay even with the names I listed above were in a different era, had a different coach, different swagger.
What those teams did do is prove themselves as great.
I think Miami wanted to dismember themselves so badly from the train wreck of Al Golden that they tried too hard.
The turnover chain was a great way to separate the eras and create your own, the win against Notre Dame created more spark, but what needs to be done is prove yourself every game not only against the easy team, but the tough teams, or the one game College Gameday visits, don’t say you will, but do.
I think it will happen though, with Manny Diaz as Defensive Coordinator, Travis Homer showing spark in the running game and other members of the team it seems like a promising future.

Miami’s next game was just announced during the Bowl selection.
They will take on Wisconsin, Saturday December 30th 8 p.m.
You can here it live on 640 The Hurricane!